LA CROSSE, Wis. — Cody Stahl of Barnsville, Ga., secured the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN with a three-day total of 53 pounds, 1 ounce. Out of 213 competitors, Stahl claimed the top prize of $40,607 and a coveted invitation to the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic.
Stahl started in 29th place on Day 1, weighing 15-09. He surged to fifth on Day 2 with an 18-0 bag and clinched the victory on Day 3 with the event’s biggest bag, 19-8, narrowly beating second-place finisher Chris Hellebuyck by 10 ounces.
A Goose-Hunting Discovery
Stahl’s game plan took an unexpected turn during a goose-hunting trip in Pool 8. After the hunt, he caught a 4-pounder near their hunting spot, prompting him to switch focus from Pool 7 to Pool 8 for the tournament. This decision proved crucial as Stahl capitalized on dropping water levels and subtle high-percentage areas in the shallow vegetation of Pool 8.
“The key was recognizing the sweet spots — drains, points, and subtle places where fish would move as the water dropped,” Stahl said.
Winning Strategy and Gear
Stahl used a mix of frogs, including the SPRO Bronzeye 65 and Frog Factory Boom Boom Frog, along with a Z-Man Chatterbait JackHammer and Berkley CullShad swimbait to secure his victory. His biggest catch, a 5-4, also earned him $750 in Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors.
Top Competitors
– Chris Hellebuyck of White Lake, Mich., finished second with 52-07, focusing on a flat with a hard shell bottom, catching most of his fish on a BOOYAH Boss Pop and a hand-tied brown jig.
– Chris Beaudrie of Princeton, Ky., took third with 50-13, targeting deeper grass edges with frogs and spinnerbaits, using his knowledge from Kentucky Lake’s fall conditions.
Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., leads the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,422 points. Cody Meyer of Eagle, Idaho, is second with 1,395, followed by Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., with 1,350, Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., with 1,331, and Andrew Loberg of Grant, Ala., with 1,327.
The event was hosted by ExploreLaCrosse.com.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
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About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster
and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
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